Surveys show that roughly 60% of us sleep with our pets, and that women who share their bed with dogs actually sleep better!

But if you’re one of the 13% in disagreement about Fluffy sharing the feather duvet, maybe today is the day to put it all to rest. It’s World Sleep Day and most of us are sleep deprived, barely getting six hours straight, so bring Rover on over if he improves your quality of sleep.

We’re asleep at the switch when it comes to awareness about the damage of poor sleep on our health and well-being. When sleep is sound, health and happiness abound, according to Dr. Dominic Gaziano, director at Body and Mind Medical Center in Chicago.

This year’s World Sleep Day theme is Healthy Sleep, Healthy Aging. According to Gaziano, a recognized wellness practitioner, adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, but on average we’re getting barely six hours – “this is detrimental!.” Sleep has to be made a priority.

While many find comfort or a sense of security from sleeping with their pets, Gaziano reports that most studies show greater sleep disturbances because of pets. And a 2017 Mayo Clinic study shows a benefit in the quality of sleep if your pet slept in your bedroom, not on your bed.

There’s no four on the floor at Lina De Ciantis’ house. Her sweet Alaskan Labradoodle, Charlie, sleeps on the bed and is a super co-sleeper. He enhances her sleep quality and well-being, says De Ciantis, an Etobicoke dog walker who has had up to three dogs in her bed at once when she’s dog-sitting. And there are no howls of dismay from her husband, Christian.

Lina De Ciantis’and her sweet Alaskan Labradoodle, Charlie,

“Having Charlie in bed with me is my chance to bond with my boy because I’m away a lot of the day working. I sleep very sound and Charlie doesn’t move around a lot, unlike my husband who steals the blankets – and annoys Charlie and I!” says De Ciantis. Along with the bonding, her pet makes her feel safe and secure because he’ll bark to alert them to any noise.

According to sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus, the quality of your sleep, while having a furry friend in your bed, is basically a measure of the pet’s sleep. If you have a French bulldog, who snores, and it doesn’t bother you, then all is good. But if you are up looking on the internet for doggy breathe rite strips, it may be time to kick Fido to the floor.

Sound advice but likely hard to follow for devoted pet owners – even for the 21% who report their dog snores! We love our pets, and new Vision Critical research conducted on behalf of Purina Canada backs this up:

78% of cat owners and 60% of dog owners let their pet sleep on their bed.

24% of cats sleep near their owners’ pillow and 45% sleeping near their feet; 25% of dogs fall asleep between their owners.

More women than men feel comforted (60% vs. 41%) and loved (64% vs. 43%) when sleeping with their cat.

Almost twice (44%) as many dog owners feel safe when dozing off with their pet than cat owners (24%).

Meanwhile, meeting our sleep needs is all about attention and priorities, says Breus, of thesleepdoctor.com. “We are a distracted society, and feel like we have more to do than sleep. Also as we get more sleep deprived, our brain tells us it is okay.”

Festering stress or obsession that is not being dealt with appropriately before bedtime are a common sleep destroyer, adds Gaziano, of bodyandmindmedicalcenter.com. “People try to cram too much to do in a day, and they are on their digital screens at night. When evening comes, get off those screens and into your dreams.”

Sleep easy this World Sleep Day:

Pick a wake up time and stick to it. This helps re-set your circadian clock each day and keeps things running smooth, says Dr. Michael Breus

Stop caffeine early, he says. Caffeine has a half life of six to eight hours so stopping at 2 p.m. means at least half is out of your system before bedtime, which will help you fall asleep easier, but also maintain your sleep quality.

Stop alcohol three hours before lights out. It takes the average human one hour to digest one adult beverage. “So if you have two to three with dinner and then wait three hours you should avoid effecting sleep quality, and if you drink a glass of water for each beverage, a hangover as well,” adds Breus.

Get a good exercise session in during the day. “High-intensity cardio is better than moderate intensity cardio to relax you and prepare you for sleep,” says Gaziano.

Have a peaceful ritual every night like walking your pet, skin care routine, and nice shower or a bath. “It may sound cliched, but self-care habits especially in the evening make all the difference,” says Gaziano.

Do not wait or procrastinate your stressful activities to late in the day. Don’t address daily stresses until it’s too late.

Who let the dogs IN?

Western and Atlantic Canadians tie for the most owners letting their dogs sleep in their beds with 7 in 10 (73%) respondents revealing that they allow their dogs in bed.

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